An Inventory of the L.J. Whitmeyer Glass Plate Negatives Collection at the
Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, Texas State Archives, about 1890-about 1910

The L.J. Whitmeyer glass plate
negatives collection consists of 39 glass plate negatives of Hardin County, Texas,
dating about 1890-about 1910. Select images within this collection were created by
photographers Hughes and Lane of Batson, Texas. Images are of group portraits,
street scenes and the surrounding area of Saratoga and Batson, Texas. Some of the
plates are cracked, broken or damaged. These materials have been digitized and are
part of the Texas Digital
Archive.

L. Jack Whitmeyer was born on May 8, 1921 to L. Jack Whitmeyer, Sr. and Martha Pearl
Nall in Port Arthur, Texas. Whitmeyer was a longtime resident of Colmesneil, Texas
and worked for Sun Oil as an electronic research engineer. He was involved in Boy
Scouts for over 30 years and was active in the Tyler County Heritage Society, the
Tyler County Historical Commission, Colmesneil Cemetery Association, Texas State
Archeological Society, and the IEEE (Institute of Electronic and Electrical
Engineers), and he was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran. He was a lifetime member of
the Woodville Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp. As a local publisher, he tried to
print the glass plate negatives on equipment he had in his home. He worked with
Clyde Grey at the Tyler County Heritage Village Musuem to promote local history and
established the Whitmeyer Genealogy Library, which included many resources from his
personal collection. He died in Colmesneil in June 2010.

The L.J. Whitmeyer glass plate negatives collection consists of 39 glass plate
negatives of Hardin County, Texas, dating about 1890-about 1910. Select images
within this collection were created by photographers Hughes and Lane of Batson,
Texas; other creators are unknown. Images are of group portraits, street scenes and
the surrounding area of Saratoga and Batson, Texas. Many of the portraits include
couples, families, and small groups of men and women in various locations including
a photography studio, store interiors, and outdoors in front yards or wooded areas.
Street scenes include crowds along main street or in front of buildings including
the Crosby House, Spencer's Drug Co., and the Turf Exchange Bar and Billiard Hall in
Batson, Texas. Images of industry in the area include oil fields with men at work
and a lumber yard. Besides people, these images include horses and horse-drawn
conveyances.

Some of the plates are cracked, broken or have damaged emulsion. When different
images share one plate it is noted in the box inventory. The majority of the image
descriptions were created by Archives staff. Some plates have numbers scratched into
the emulsion but it is unclear what these numbers signify since that they are not on
every plate. The plates seem to be out of their original order considering that some
images of couples or groups of people are spread throughout the collection. Images
include some of the same people and settings as those images in the Clyde and
Thelma See glass plate negatives collection.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to
delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate
of dates covered, and to determine record types.

Arrangement of the Collection

Restrictions on Access

Due to the fragility of the glass plate negatives, the digital copies must be used
instead of the original negatives.

Restrictions on Use

Under the Copyright Act of 1976 as amended in 1998, unpublished works are protected
for the life of the author plus 70 years. The term of copyright for published
material varies. Researchers are responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law
(Title 17 U.S.C.).